Ciolo is a narrow coastal
inlet and a site of historical and environmental interest, which is located in
Apulia,
Italy. The location is also known as a geological site and for the presence of numerous sea caves, the largest one being the Grotta del Ciolo. Since October 2006 the Ciolo's area has become part of the Regional Park "''Costa
Otranto
Otranto (, , ; scn, label=Salentino, Oṭṛàntu; el, label=Griko, Δερεντό, Derentò; grc, Ὑδροῦς, translit=Hudroûs; la, Hydruntum) is a coastal town, port and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce (Apulia, Italy), in a fertile ...
-
Santa Maria di Leuca
Santa Maria di Leuca, often spelled simply Leuca (, from ''Leukos'', "white"), is a '' frazione'' of the '' comune'' of Castrignano del Capo, in the Salento peninsula ( Apulia), southern Italy.
A part of the town once belonged to the ''comune'' o ...
e Bosco di
Tricase"'', created by the Apulia region to protect the eastern coast of
Salento
Salento (Salentino: ''Salentu'', Salentino Griko: ''Σαλέντο'') is a cultural, historical and geographic region at the southern end of the administrative region of Apulia in Southern Italy. It is a sub-peninsula of the Italian Peninsula, ...
, specifically the architectural assets as well as important animal and plant species.
The name Ciolo comes from the noun in
salentino dialect
Salentino () is a dialect of the Extreme Southern Italian ( in Italian) spoken in the Salento peninsula, which is the southern part of the region of Apulia at the southern "heel" of the Italian peninsula.
Overview
Salentino is a dialect of the ...
"''ciole",'' which refers to
crows
The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) is a series of remote weapon stations used by the US military on its armored vehicles and ships. It allows weapon operators to engage targets without leaving the protection of their vehicle. T ...
or
magpies
Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is on ...
, which are widespread in this region.
[
][
]
Location
Ciolo is located in the comune of
Gagliano del Capo
Gagliano del Capo (Salentino: ) is an Italian comune situated in the province of Lecce, the southernmost one of Apulia.
In its territory is located Ciolo, a rocky cove that is part of the Regional Natural Coastal Park of "Costa Otranto-Santa Maria ...
, in Apulia and it is part of the Regional Natural Coastal Park of "''Costa Otranto Santa Maria di Leuca Bosco di Tricase"''.
Ponte del Ciolo (Ciolo's Bridge)
Ciolo is dominated by Ponte Ciolo (Ciolo's Bridge), a road bridge built in the 1960s. It crosses the inlet and connects the two shores of ''Santa Maria di Leuca'' and ''Novaglie''. The single-span bridge is approximately ''30 meters'' above water, ''60 meters'' long and ''10 meters'' wide.
The first structure, part of a project for the entire coastal road by the engineer ''Mario Carrone'', envisaged a bridge with two continuous spans. This project was unfeasible due to the impossibility to build the central pile, as evidenced by the geo-technical report by the professor and engineer ''Vincenzo Cotecchia''. At that point the engineer ''Antonio La Tegola'' was appointed. He adopted the technique of the Swiss engineer ''
Robert Maillart
Robert Maillart (16 February 1872 – 5 April 1940) was a Swiss civil engineer who revolutionized the use of structural reinforced concrete with such designs as the three-hinged arch and the deck-stiffened arch for bridges, and the beamless f ...
'', which required the incorporation of a thin vault and a stiffening deck. For this reason the structure the bridge was called Maillart's Bridge in the preliminary plans and studies.
Ciolo's Bridge was built by rotating the previously planned road axis, an operation that was necessary to find the right supports for the span. There are still some concrete stumps under the current span, which were necessary for the construction of the rib.
Since the construction in the 1960s the bridge has been object of reinforcement and consolidation's works, the last being in the summer of 2019.
The Ciolo's Caves
In Ciolo canyon there are several
sea caves formed during the
Neolithic and
Paleolithic age. In total this area includes three different major caves: the Grotta Grande del Ciolo (''Ciolo's Huge Cave''), the Grotta Piccola Del Ciolo (''Ciolo's Small Cave'') and the Grotta Delle Prazziche (''Cave of the Prazziche'').
[
]
Grotta Piccola Del Ciolo
The Grotta Piccola Del Ciolo, also called the "''Grotta della foca monaca''" (''Cave of the
monk seal
Monk seals are earless seals of the tribe Monachini. They are the only earless seals found in tropical climates. The two genera of monk seals, ''Monachus'' and ''Neomonachus'', comprise three species: the Mediterranean monk seal, ''Monachus monac ...
''), is a semi-submerged cave located in the homonymous cove. Its entrance is located on the west side of the
canyon
A canyon (from ; archaic British English spelling: ''cañon''), or gorge, is a deep cleft between escarpments or cliffs resulting from weathering and the erosive activity of a river over geologic time scales. Rivers have a natural tendency to ...
(facing the sea) and it is set on a fracture slightly enlarged by water.
The main cave develops linearly for more than ''120 meters,'' which makes it one of the longest in all the Salento sub-peninsula. The cave is formed by different chambers: on the west side of the entrance there is a natural chamber about ''30 meters'' long and in the terminal part of the main cave there is a tiny beach. It was in this chamber that the speleologist ''Franco Grandi'' found a ''monk seal'', which gave the name to the cave itself. Inside a source of fresh water is available.
[
][
] From a strictly biological point of view, different studies have been carried out during the years in the cave by different research teams coordinated by the
University of Salento
The University of Salento ( it, Università del Salento, called until 2007 ''Università degli Studi di Lecce'') is a university located in Lecce, Italy. It was founded in 1955 by Giuseppe Codacci Pisanelli.
The university of Salento commenced ac ...
,
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia ( it, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia), located in Modena and Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, is one of the oldest universities in Italy, founded in 1175, with a population of 20, ...
and
University of Urbino. Since 2000, studies have been performed on benthic hard substrate stands living in the cave as well as taxonomic studies on the fauna able to live on the sea bottom and on the planktonic one.
The studies have revealed a diverse sea bottom community even on little scale but very stable in time even if decreasing. The plankton analysed has appeared rich in nutrition, indicating that the decline of the community may relate to other factors, such as the possible infiltration of fresh water.
Grotta Grande Del Ciolo
The Grotta Grande Del Ciolo is also known by different names, such as Grotta degli Spiriti ''(Ghosts' Cave)'', Grotta dei Passeri ''(Sparrows' Cave)'' and Bocca del Pozzo ''(
Well's Mouth)''. The cave is semi-submerged and is characterized by a wide entrance, the result of an ancient phenomenon of collapse that partially occluded a portion of the archeological substrate of the cave, about ''20 meters'' above the sea level, leaving the remaining portion exposed to sea erosion provoked by the constant inflow and then outflow of water and waves.
The cave develops longitudinally by ''120 meters'' and the height of the entrance is over ''30 meters,'' progressively decreasing along its longitudinal development.
The cave contains a pond generated by a source of fresh water which originates from a subterranean source near its location.
Grotta Delle Prazziche
Grotta Delle Prazziche
is one of the main caves near Ciolo, and is accessible by boat. The structure of the cave is circular, and at the top there is a vertical
syphon
A siphon (from grc, σίφων, síphōn, "pipe, tube", also spelled nonetymologically syphon) is any of a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. In a narrower sense, the word refers particularly to a tube in a ...
to the open air.
Many studies have been carried out inside and some prehistoric remains have been found, including handcrafts belonging to the Neolithic,
ceramics and remains of
rhinos
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
.
Geology
The eastern coast of Salento is a noteworthy geological location due to the events that took place in the
Mediterranean area starting from the
Cretaceous period.
[
]
Ciolo is mostly formed by a lower part of the stratigraphic succession, which includes
Cretaceous bioclastic limestones and
breccia
Breccia () is a rock composed of large angular broken fragments of minerals or rocks cemented together by a fine-grained matrix.
The word has its origins in the Italian language, in which it means "rubble". A breccia may have a variety of di ...
s and
conglomerates of the dating to the late Oligocene (
Chattian
The Chattian is, in the geologic timescale, the younger of two ages or upper of two stages of the Oligocene Epoch/Series. It spans the time between . The Chattian is preceded by the Rupelian and is followed by the Aquitanian (the lowest stage ...
). In this area there are deposits of
phosphatic
In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid .
The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phospho ...
limestone formations, phosphatic conglomerates and phosphatic concentrations. The upper part consists of
Miocene aged limestone.
[
][
][
] The limestones present in the Ciolo area is characterized by
bioclast
Bioclasts are skeletal fossil fragments of once living marine or land organisms that are found in sedimentary rocks laid down in a marine environment—especially limestone varieties around the globe. some of which take on distinct textures and col ...
ic calcarenites and calcirudites and it is recognizable by its parallel and oblique lamination.
Flora
In Ciolo
's area several botanical rarities can be found:
mediterranean onion species,
ferns, the
Alyssum
''Alyssum'' is a genus of over a hundred species of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. The genus comprises annual and perenn ...
of Leuca, the
Fiordaliso
Marina Fiordaliso, best known as Fiordaliso, is an Italian pop-rock singer. During her career she has sold over 6 million records.
Life and career
Born in Piacenza, the daughter of a drummer, Fiordaliso approached music at young age studying vo ...
of Leuca, the
Campanula
''Campanula'' () is one of several genera of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae commonly known as bellflowers. They take both their common and scientific names from the bell-shaped flowers — ''campanula'' is Latin for "little bell". ...
pugliese, the
Vicia Giacominiana and several type of rare
orchids.
Ferns
Ciolo is an hypogeal habitat for botanical species like
cryptogam
A cryptogam (scientific name Cryptogamae) is a plant (in the wide sense of the word) or a plant-like organism that reproduces by spores, without flowers or seeds. The name ''Cryptogamae'' () means "hidden reproduction", referring to the fact ...
s:
algae
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from u ...
,
mosses and
ferns
A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except th ...
. There are about sixty species of
bryophyte
The Bryophyta s.l. are a proposed taxonomic division containing three groups of non-vascular land plants (embryophytes): the liverworts, hornworts and mosses. Bryophyta s.s. consists of the mosses only. They are characteristically limited in s ...
s living in the caves of Apulia which have been studied, including fifteen types of ferns.
Focusing the attention on the caves in Apulia, it is worth considering the distribution of ferns (
Filicopsida). Ferns have interested many scientists since the 1950s and 1960s, the biggest contributions to the studies in this area were made by Franco Anelli, Francesco Orfino and Pietro Parenzan. They mainly focused on
Grotta di Castellana but extended their studies also to Ciolo. The
University of Lecce
The University of Salento ( it, Università del Salento, called until 2007 ''Università degli Studi di Lecce'') is a university located in Lecce, Italy. It was founded in 1955 by Giuseppe Codacci Pisanelli.
The university of Salento commenced a ...
undertook pteridological studies on this territory.
The caves have very limited examples of
phototrophic
vegetation. There are some cases in which it is possible to find
etiolate
Etiolation is a process in flowering plants grown in partial or complete absence of light. It is characterized by long, weak stems; smaller leaves due to longer internodes; and a pale yellow color (chlorosis). The development of seedlings in t ...
plants inside these caves. These plants grow from seeds transported by water, but without light they do not grow enough and then they die. For their sexed reproduction high
humidity is essential, humidity is also the reason for the low
desiccation
Desiccation () is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container.
...
process.
Ciolo's Caves are the only certified sites in Apulia where
Asplenium marinum
''Asplenium marinum'' is a fern known as the sea spleenwort because of its preference for maritime habitats. Located around the coasts of Europe from Italy in the South to Norway in the North, its most Southern distribution extends to the Norther ...
exists. Ciolo's Caves are on the boundary of the Eastern area of this species.
The
morphology
Morphology, from the Greek and meaning "study of shape", may refer to:
Disciplines
*Morphology (archaeology), study of the shapes or forms of artifacts
*Morphology (astronomy), study of the shape of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies, ...
of the caves has determined their plant colonization. The wide entrance of some of the caves have created an ideal plant
habitat and supports a major vegetal population. Populations are small and with a poor capability to adapt. There is scientific evidence that a unique event of colonization gave birth to single fern populations. Protected habitats can function as
shelter
Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.
Shelter may also refer to:
Places
* Port Shelter, Hong Kong
* Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations
* Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locat ...
s (they protect some species) if they have particular micro-climatic conditions, thus they act for species which haven't found a balance with the changeable environment.
The status of
phytogeographic relict can be defined only for some species of ferns. Following the hypothesis of
Pichi Sermolli
The pichi (''Zaedyus pichiy''), dwarf armadillo or pygmy armadillo is an armadillo native to Argentina. It is the only living member of the genus ''Zaedyus'', and the only armadillo to hibernate.
Description
Pichis are relatively small armadil ...
the Asplenium marines in Apulia in Ciolo could be a relic from the wet period of the
Pleistocene.
It is possible to track different
chorological models in the Ciolo using the distribution of
Asplenium marinum
''Asplenium marinum'' is a fern known as the sea spleenwort because of its preference for maritime habitats. Located around the coasts of Europe from Italy in the South to Norway in the North, its most Southern distribution extends to the Norther ...
. There is an hypothesis that the species is present in this territory as a relic banished to an
hypogeal
Hypogeal, hypogean, hypogeic and hypogeous (; ) are biological terms describing an organism's activity below the soil surface.
In botany, a seed is described as showing hypogeal germination when the cotyledons of the germinating seed remain no ...
habitat due to climate changes.
Alyssum of Leuca
Along the paths that cover the area of Ciolo some botanical species of flowers can be found such as the Alyssum, a typical plant of this part of the region. It can be easily found due to the fact that it usually grows under the solar exposition, it is resistant to both cold and warm weather, and it can grow in stony and dry areas.
Vicia Giacominiana
The Vicia Giacominiana is a special type of plant native of Salento. It is a therophyte, and it is usually two meters high. It flowers during the months of April and May.
Its flowers are
fuchsia
''Fuchsia'' () is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. The first to be scientifically described, '' Fuchsia triphylla'', was discovered on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic ...
, arranged in groups of racemes with a stem twice the length of the leaves. The Vicia Giacominiana is found exclusively within herbaceous communities of plants.
Fiordaliso of Leuca
The Fiordaliso of Leuca is a rare plant, native from the area of Salento, which grows above limestone cliffs and next to the sea.
It is a perennial, bushy and thick plant, that can reach the height of 30 up to 60 ''meters''.
[
]
Carnation of Salento
The Carnation of Salento, also called ''Dianthus Japigicus Bianco & Brull''o, of the
Caryophyllaceae
Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...
family, is a new species of Cernation born in Salento that grows on the limestone walls between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca. These plants have branched stems and their flowers consist of five pink or purple petals with a jagged edge.
Fauna
Marine Fauna
The area, being part of the "''Regional Park Otranto - Santa Maria di Leuca Coast"'', has been the subject of numerous studies regarding the fauna.
Studies show that thirty-two different fish species are present.
The Grotta Piccola del Ciolo is considered as a protective nursery for the new born of different species of
fish and
echinoderms; in fact numerously
starfish
Starfish or sea stars are star-shaped echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea (). Common usage frequently finds these names being also applied to ophiuroids, which are correctly referred to as brittle stars or basket stars. Starfish ...
,
sea urchins,
brittle star
Brittle stars, serpent stars, or ophiuroids (; ; referring to the serpent-like arms of the brittle star) are echinoderms in the class Ophiuroidea, closely related to starfish. They crawl across the sea floor using their flexible arms for locomot ...
s,
sea cucumbers, and
crustacean
Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...
s have been found.
[
]
Vagile
Meiofauna
Meiobenthos, also called meiofauna, are small benthic invertebrates that live in both marine and fresh water environments. The term ''meiofauna'' loosely defines a group of organisms by their size, larger than microfauna but smaller than macrofau ...
is a kind of fauna which includes
invertebrates of marine and fresh water habitats. Knowledge about this particular branch of the fauna is scarce, however the area of the Grotta del Ciolo has been the subject of many studies regarding the community composition of these populations of invertebrates. The studies conducted in 2002 were made using baked-plates, and positioning them in three levels.
After 24 months in total (it took 24 months to make the number of
taxa
In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
and abundances at the three distinguishable positions) the results showed that ''Harpacticoida copepods'', ''
Nematoda and
Foraminifera'' were the most abundant
meiofaunal taxa (the panel surface removed and studied was a total of 75 taxa). Each position of the three showed different results, they revealed a high colonisation capacity of the
meiofauna
Meiobenthos, also called meiofauna, are small benthic invertebrates that live in both marine and fresh water environments. The term ''meiofauna'' loosely defines a group of organisms by their size, larger than microfauna but smaller than macrofau ...
, an active and passive interaction with the
algae
Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from u ...
. The presence of the algae makes the habitat more complex in terms of protection from
predators and
trophic source.
The way in which the agile
meiofauna
Meiobenthos, also called meiofauna, are small benthic invertebrates that live in both marine and fresh water environments. The term ''meiofauna'' loosely defines a group of organisms by their size, larger than microfauna but smaller than macrofau ...
is distributed is due to environmental constraints, the artificial substrates and their dispersal properties. These studies concluded that making a better
taxonomical identification and using a more effective capture method will help in a more detailed individualism of the differences.
In this area the ''Arachnanthus Oligopodus,'' a species of the
Arachnactidae family, has also been found in the depths of the Grotta Piccola del Ciolo.
In the Grotta Piccola del Ciolo, other species have also been found such as: ''Noctiluca Scintillans, Cassidulinacea indet.,Globigerinacea indet., Miliolina indet., Rotaliacea indet., Rotaliina indet. Spirillinidae, Textulariina indet., Astrosphaeridae indet., Spumellaridae indet., Acanthostomella conicoides, Condonella aspera, Codonellopsis monacensis, Codonellopsis schabii, Eutintinnus fraknoi, Eutintinnus tubulosus, Petalotricha ampulla, Rhabdonellaspiralis, Salpingella acuminata, Stenosemella ventricosa, Tiarinafusus, Tintinnopsis beroidea, Tintinnopsis campanula, Tintinnopsis cincta, Tintinnopsis lieni, Tintinnopsis radix, Undella cleparedei, Undella clevei'' and ''Undella subcaudata.''
Plankton
Since 2000, studies have shown the presence of
benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...
populations of hard substrate living in the caves. The data that emerged refer to a highly varied
benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...
wall community, on a small scale but very stable over time since, studied with two-year engraftment experiments.
The cave
plankton appeared to be more affected by the ''hyperbenthos'' than the external specimens.
Mysidacea
The Mysidacea is a group of shrimp-like crustaceans in the superorder Peracarida, comprising the two extant orders Mysida
Mysida is an order of small, shrimp-like crustaceans in the malacostracan superorder Peracarida. Their common name opo ...
represented the most conspicuous component of the cave plankton, with two species typical in the Salento marine caves, ''Hemimysis margalefi'' and ''Siriella jaltensis''. ''Harpacticoida copepods'', together with
asexual algal propagules, dominate the cave plankton numerically, whereas
Calanoida
Calanoida is an order of copepods, a group of arthropods commonly found as zooplankton. The order includes around 46 families with about 1800 species of both marine and freshwater copepods between them.
Description
Calanoids can be distinguis ...
and
Cyclopoida
The Cyclopoida are an order of small crustaceans from the subclass Copepoda. Like many other copepods, members of Cyclopoida are small, planktonic animals living both in the sea and in freshwater habitats. They are capable of rapid movement. Thei ...
copepods with
mollusc veligers characterise the plankton of the external environment.
The annual community composition changes seasonally, with clear horizontal partitioning of the plankton and significant differences between the two stations of the cave.
Higher water turbulence has been proposed as the reason for the presence of asexual propagules even in the inner cave station. An explanation of the benthos impoverishment has been proposed as an alternative to the current ‘trophic depletion’ theory.
Land Fauna
In the sand present in the bottom of the Grotta Piccola del Ciolo scientists discovered ''Arachnanthus oligopodus,'' previously found only in a cave in
Marseille; ten species of interstitial
Gastrotrich
The gastrotrichs (phylum Gastrotricha), commonly referred to as hairybellies or hairybacks, are a group of microscopic (0.06-3.0 mm), worm-like, acoelomate animals, and are widely distributed and abundant in freshwater and marine environme ...
s, three of which unknown; and, a species of
Priapulida, previously only known in the
tropics.
Paleoenviroment
In the Ciolo
's area remnants of ''Hippwrites cornucopiae, Cymopolia decastroi'', Cymopolia barattoloi, dating back to the upper
Maastrichtian age, were found.
[
]
Tourism
During the summer season, the Ciolo is a tourist location. The morphology of the territory, with a number of caves and inlets, offers a spot protected from wind and sun, for all those who want to experience the sea and the coast. In the same period of the year the cove is sheltered from the wind and remains accessible in rough sea conditions.
[
] The location attracts many tourists also due to its close proximity to Santa Maria di Leuca.
Trekking
The Ciolo's area offers
trekking and
hiking
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...
activities via the footpaths of the ''Regional Natural Coastal Park'' to Novaglie'',''. This path is called The S''entiero'' ''del'' ''Vecchio'' ''Ciolo'' (''the path of the Old Ciolo''), and ''The Sentiero delle Cipolliane (the Cipolliane's path)'', and it gives access to the natural and historical features of the region.
Sentiero del vecchio Ciolo
The path can be walked in both ways: from Ciolo to Gagliano Del Capo and vice-versa.
Ciolo can be reached on foot along a 4 ''kilometer'' path, starting from the center of Gagliano del Capo.
[
] From Ciolo to Gagliano del Capo it is possible to access the trail by a long staircase next to Ciolo's Bridge that provides access to the small cove; from there, leaving the sea behind, it is possible to climb the steep path that leads up to Gagliano del Capo. The route crosses the rock cliffs which contain numerous prehistoric caves; the whole path is completely surrounded by the characteristic Mediterranean landscape and also by certain rare species of plants such as the Alyssum of Leuca, the Vicia Giacominiana, the Anagyris foetida and different rare species of Orchidaceae.
Bird watchers can observe frequent sightings of migrating
wader
245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots
Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...
s,
jackdaws and
rock pigeons
''Petrophassa'', commonly known as the rock pigeons, is a small genus of doves in the family Columbidae native to Australia, and similar to bronzewing pigeons.
The genus was introduced in 1841 by the English ornithologist and bird artist John G ...
; whereas sightings of the
Eleonora's falcon are rarer. It is also possible to see different small
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common type ...
s and votive
aedicula
In ancient Roman religion, an ''aedicula'' (plural ''aediculae'') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns and typically framing a statue,"aedicula, ...
s in honour of ''Madonna di Leuca'', symbolic of the area.
High diving
One of the main tourist attractions is Ponte del Ciolo (Ciolo's Bridge), the bridge that connects the two crags and from which it is possible to
high dive
''High Dive'' is the fourth album by American singer-songwriter Maria McKee, released in 2003.
Track listing
All songs by Maria McKee, except where noted.
#"To the Open Spaces" (Jim Akin, McKee) – 3:13
#"Life Is Sweet" – 3:49
#"After Life" ...
.
Scuba diving
It is possible to access the sea for swimming and
scuba diving
Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chris ...
.
Scuba divers, in Ciolo, have also the opportunity to explore the Grotta Grande del Ciolo. Although some points of the cave are quite narrow, it is possible for divers to explore the cave for its entire length safely with a little preparation.
Rock climbing
The Ciolo
's cliff is the major
sport climbing
Sport climbing (or Bolted climbing) is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors (or bolts), permanently fixed into the rock for climber protection, in which a rope that is attached to the climber is clipped into the anchors to ...
venue of the Salento region. It was the location of the ''Salento Climbing Fest'' event in 2013.
The cliff is equipped with expansion bolt protection, and was re-equipped as part of the ''Salento Verticale project'', by local climbers and the ''Ragni di
Lecco
Lecco (, , ; lmo, label=Lecchese, Lècch ) is a city of 48,131 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como (the branch is named ''Branch of Lecco'' / ''Ramo di Lecco''). ...
'' mountaineering club, in 2013.
There are over fifty routes, ranging in
grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering, and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a grade to a climbing route or boulder problem, intended to describe concisely the difficulty and danger of climbing it. Different types of climbing (such as spor ...
from 4 to 7b+. Ciolo is also a location for
deep-water soloing.
Curiosities
The Legend
There is a local legend about Ciolo which involves the
Turks and a bell. During an invasion in Apulia by the
Turkish Army, the soldiers landed in the Ciolo's area and looted Gagliano del Capo. A bell was part of their loot, however they found themselves in a storm and the bell fell off the boat into the sea. It is said that the bell rings every 24 December, the day of its disappearance.
The Regional Coastal Park
The Otranto coast up to Santa Maria di Leuca is a
Regional park that has been established by the Regional Law of the 26th October 2006 n.30 creating a protected area of priority interest. The park was created with the aim of safeguarding the natural heritage of the protected area and enhancing the territory on a sustainable management model, protecting its biodiversity and supporting the economy of the local communities.
It is one of the biggest natural parks in the province of
Lecce. Its area extends along the Salento coast for 57 ''kilometers'' and embraces an important cultural, geological and landscape heritage characterized by the presence of faunistic and flogistic species.
The borders of the Regional Park includes 12 municipalities of Lecce province:
Alessano,
Andrano
Andrano (Salentino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce in the Apulia
it, Pugliese
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_fo ...
,
Castrignano del Capo Castrignano del Capo (Salentino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Lecce in the Apulia region of south-east Italy. It has three ''Villages'': Santa Maria di Leuca, Giuliano, Salignano.
See also
*Angelo Buccarello
References
...
, Castro,
Corsano,
Diso
Diso (Salentino: ; ) is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce ( it, Provincia di Lecce; Salentino: ) is a province in the Apulia region of Italy whose capital is the city of Lecce. The province is called the ...
, Gagliano del Capo,
Ortelle
Ortelle (Salentino: ) is a town and '' comune'' in the Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian ...
, Otranto,
Santa Cesarea Terme
Santa Cesarea Terme (Salentino: ) is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Lecce, Apulia, southern Italy.
Situated on the coast at the entrance of the Strait of Otranto, on a part of the coast which comes down to the sea, the town of Santa ...
,
Tiggiano and Tricase.
From a geological point of view the park is formed by a stratification which dates from the
Late Cretaceous to the
Quaternary periods.
The constitution of the park aims principally at safeguarding and the protecting the historic - architectonic heritage, the coastal system and the autocrathonous greenery, with particular attention to the
Quercus macrolepis
''Quercus macrolepis'', the Valonia oak, is a species of oak in the beech family, Fagaceae. Formerly, it was commonly treated as a subspecies of the closely related and sympatric mount Tabor oak. At present, however, it is mostly granted specie ...
.
Additionally there are also three
Site of Community Importance
A Site of Community Importance (SCI) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration ...
included in The Regional Coastal Park:
* The
oak-trees ''Park of Castro.''
* The wood of Tricase
* The wood "Le chiuse di Tiggiano "
The oak-trees Park of Castro
The park has a surface area of 4.5 hectares, part of the Regional Coastal Park. It is a protected area full of several bird species and vegetation. The
Holm oak is predominant, an evergreen tree that can reach the maximum height of 30 metres. Typical Mediterranean plants such as
Bay-tree
''Myrica'' is a genus of about 35–50 species of small trees and shrubs in the family Myricaceae, order Fagales. The genus has a wide distribution, including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America, and missing only from Austr ...
, hawthorn, campanula pugliese,
hedera
''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...
and different types of orchids are also present.
Between the park's woods there are several different species of particular birds, including
owl,
robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
** Bush-robin
**Forest r ...
,
nightingale and
turtle doves
''Streptopelia'' is a genus of birds in the pigeon and dove family Columbidae. These are mainly slim, small to medium-sized species. The upperparts tend to be pale brown and the underparts are often a shade of pink. Many have a characteristic bla ...
. In the rocky part of the park there is a big canal which picks up water from the rain and is surrounded by dense and inaccessible vegetation.
The Wood of Tricase
The Wood of Tricase is part of The Regional Coastal Park. It is an area full of oak-trees and orchids. Regarding fauna, it is the area in which the monk seal, one of the rarest mammals in Europe, has been spotted.
[
]
The Wood "Le chiuse di Tiggiano"
The Wood of Tiggiano extends along the sloped of the hills that reach the sea. The area is mainly dominated by species of trees such as
holm oaks, and in the more precipitous rocky areas the most prevalent are flowers such as the ''campanula pugliese'', the ''alyssum'' and the ''scrofularia pugliese''.
Gallery
See also
*
Apulia
*
Province of Lecce
The Province of Lecce ( it, Provincia di Lecce; Salentino: ) is a province in the Apulia region of Italy whose capital is the city of Lecce. The province is called the "Heel of Italy". Located on the Salento peninsula, it is the second most-po ...
Notes
References
{{reflist
External links
Regional Park "Costa Otranto - Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase"(in Italian)
Comune of Gagliano del Capo(in Italian)
Province of Lecce
Caves of Italy
Landforms of Apulia
Canyons and gorges of Italy
Fjords of Italy